Hell Bound (The Immortal Balances- Book 1)

Chapter Seven: Savagely Beautiful

My eldest brother gave me a doubtful look.

"I don't know about this, Caleb," Seth told me uncertainly, running a hand through his hair. He was pacing around his bedroom before his full-length bedroom mirror, that having acted as the screen between us during our conversation. I was staring out of the window in the room I'd been allocated, but really looking into my brother's room, which was slightly disconcerting since light was shining in from outside however all I could see was the darkness that had invaded my eldest brother's bedroom. Back in Hell, I'd never actually been into any of my sibling's rooms other than Jules' so this was the first time I'd gotten a real proper look at the eldest Demon Royal's chamber. Compared to my bedroom that had been drenched in black, Seth's was practically blasted in purple, with violet curtains draping shut over the huge bedroom window I had lacked in my room. His walls were spiralled with purple rings, among large posters of half-naked women and men. I was sure that underneath all the clothes, his floor was covered in pictures of pretty obscene images, worse than the ones on the walls.

My brother's room was very suited to his personality.

"What is there not to be sure about?" I asked Seth, missing the point he was trying to make. I gave him an angry look, however I don't think it did its job since Seth simply rolled his brown and red eyes.

"Well for starters, you don't know if this Ella girl really is this Jonathan person that attacked that Living," he told me factually, purposely avoiding calling Rachel by her actual name. I clenched my fists. Whenever I'd spoken to Seth, he chose not to acknowledge Rachel's name. Even when I reminded him that as long as she was this Reaper's main target she was part of this fight, Seth wouldn't accept her.

And to think, Seth was the most open-minded one of all of my brothers.

"You know her name is Rachel," I informed him again tirelessly.

My brother just rolled his eyes once more, taking no notice.

"She's no different to any other Living, and therefore she doesn't deserve anymore status," he snapped, staring at me sternly. I resisted the urge to walk away and end the conversation.

But I knew I couldn't leave. I needed Seth's help just as much as I needed all my other siblings help. Seth would keep them all in line, being the eldest, and he'd be the only one I knew would have Dad's complete trust. Declining my eldest brother would be the worst mistake I could make.

"Look, all I want you to do is watch her," I told him, hoping that he'd finally accept. I'd already run this plan by Seth at least twice now, but the first time I hadn't had his full attention, since he was still incredibly sleepy from just having woken up, and was picking up the clothes that lay discarded around his bedroom floor to redress himself. The second time, he'd wasn't sure if I was acting rashly. He'd told me that I hardly had any evidence against Ella, and that by asking my siblings to watch her, I was also asking that they refrain from their own Demon duties. Seth had told me that if Dad noticed, not only would they have wasted their time if I was wrong, but Dad would probably send all my siblings to join me in the mortal realm making sure he didn't make the mistake this time of not stripping them of their powers.

And boy, I don't think the world was ready to handle thirteen ex-demons.

But I was sure to my gut that Ella was our Reaper.

Ever since the memorial, I'd been determined to avenge Berlie and help Rachel. The speech she and Marcel had given had really struck a nerve, reminding me that love like the one they shared for their friend did exist, and that the Living world wasn't Hell. The sooner I accepted that and tried to make things better, the better off I'd been here.